Our Work

The ELC provides free legal research and representation to community groups, environmental organizations and First Nations in BC and offers clinical training in public interest environmental law to students through the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law.

Our work has five focus areas:

Healthy Watersheds;

Sustainable Communities;

Resilient Coast;

Climate and Energy Equity; and

Environmental Justice.

The ELC provides free legal research and representation to community groups, environmental organizations and First Nations in BC and offers clinical training in public interest environmental law to students through the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law. Our work has >

A new ELC report prepared for the Victoria Fire Fighters Association shows the need for federal action in order to protect Canadian consumers, fire fighters, and the environment. The report, Raising the Alarm: the Case for Better Flame Retardant Regulation >

Opinion article as submitted to Vancouver Province and Times Colonist When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. John Muir Nature is wondrously complex. Who would have thought that >

Many Canadians are concerned about plastics pollution, and governments at all levels are seeking ways to take meaningful action. Continuing our work on finding solutions to plastics pollution problems, the ELC recently helped clients Kids for a Plastic Free Canada >

Old growth forests are valuable to BC’s ecological and economic health and vital in the fight against climate change. However, standards to protect these important resources vary across the province and, in many areas, are inadequate. On behalf of Sierra >

Much of the infrastructure that deals with stormwater in the Capital Regional District (CRD) is in urgent need of upgrading, a problem that was highlighted in 2017 when Victoria’s annual Gorge Swimfest was cancelled caused by cross contamination of sewer >

The ELC has developed a comprehensive overview that identifies how Canada provides billions of dollars in subsidies each year to the fossil fuel industry. “Despite Canada having committed to the Paris Agreement, it is still subsidizing the fossil fuel industry >

BC is revitalizing its environmental assessment regime with the aim of enhancing public confidence, transparency and meaningful participation. The ELC has prepared a briefing note that recommends the new environmental assessment regime include a participant funding program. Public participation improves >

Climate change threats are spurring a global movement for communities to shift away from using fossil fuels. Local governments are committing to a 100% renewable energy by 2050 target as one way to comprehensively make that shift. An ELC report >

Although mining has significant and ongoing impacts on communities, it is the only resource industry in BC that has not had a comprehensive legal review from a public interest perspective. The ELC has long worked on mining law reform projects, >